The occasion of its being written was the return of Timotheus from
Macedonia, bearing tidings from Thessalonica regarding the state of the
church there (Acts 18:1-5; 1 Thessalonians 3:6). While, on the whole, the
report of Timothy was encouraging, it also showed that divers errors and
misunderstandings regarding the tenor of Paul’s teaching had crept in
amongst them. He addresses them in this letter with the view of correcting
these errors, and especially for the purpose of exhorting them to purity of
life, reminding them that their sanctification was the great end desired by
God regarding them.
The subscription erroneously states that this epistle was written from
Athens.
The second epistle to the Thessalonians was probably also written from
Corinth, and not many months after the first.
The occasion of the writing of this epistle was the arrival of tidings that
the tenor of the first epistle had been misunderstood, especially with
reference to the second advent of Christ. The Thessalonians had embraced
the idea that Paul had taught that “the day of Christ was at hand”, that
Christ’s coming was just about to happen. This error is corrected (2:1-12),
and the apostle prophetically announces what first must take place. “The
apostasy” was first to arise. Various explanations of this expression have
been given, but that which is most satisfactory refers it to the Church of
Rome.
- THESSALONICA a large and populous city on the Thermaic bay. It was
the capital of one of the four Roman districts of Macedonia, and was ruled
by a praetor. It was named after Thessalonica, the wife of Cassander, who
built the city. She was so called by her father, Philip, because he first heard
of her birth on the day of his gaining a victory over the Thessalians. On his
second missionary journey, Paul preached in the synagogue here, the chief
synagogue of the Jews in that part of Macedonia, and laid the foundations
of a church (Acts 17:1-4; 1 Thes. 1:9). The violence of the Jews drove him
from the city, when he fled to Berea (Acts 17:5-10). The “rulers of the
city” before whom the Jews “drew Jason,” with whom Paul and Silas
lodged, are in the original called politarchai, an unusual word, which was
found, however, inscribed on an arch in Thessalonica. This discovery
confirms the accuracy of the historian. Paul visited the church here on a
subsequent occasion (20:1-3). This city long retained its importance. It is